


(N)Ice to Meet You

by feckyeswriting (firelord65)



Series: 12 Days of Ficmas [4]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sports, Awkward Flirting, F/F, Pre-Relationship, shortfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 09:10:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17019858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelord65/pseuds/feckyeswriting
Summary: There's one very specific reason that Rey is into ice hockey nowadays. She's over six feet tall and doesn't even know that Rey exists.





	(N)Ice to Meet You

**Author's Note:**

> I'm super unfamiliar with ice hockey, so please excuse... like all of this if it's wrong :X
> 
> Prompt: I’m constantly dragging all my friends to your hockey games because i think you’re so much fun to watch and I don’t think you’ll ever notice me  
> [ **Source**](https://veronicabunchwrites.tumblr.com/post/179652750577/100-wintery-prompts-for-all-your-writing)

_ She’s a goddamn powerhouse on the ice. _ That was Rey’s first and nearly only thought when she finally admitted defeat and went to support her school’s legendary women’s hockey team. The “she” in question was the single midfielder with shoulders like a greek myth and the jawline to match. Not that the rest of the team wasn’t good, but they hadn’t caught Rey’s eye quite like this young woman. 

Just before the end of the first period Rey had leaned over and whispered to Rose, “Why were you keeping this a secret from me for the past semester?”

“Keeping  _ what _ a secret?” Rose hadn’t cared quite as much as Rey did about keeping their conversation out from the guys’ earshot. When her friends spotted the red coloring Rey’s ears, Rose’s question turned more specific. “Oh!  _ Who  _ d’you think we were keeping a secret?”

“Nevermind,” Rey insisted quickly, but from that point on it became Rose, Finn, and Poe’s most heartfelt mission to discover just who Rey was crushing on. 

Granted, if they just paid attention to what part of the field Rey watched - regardless of where the puck was - they could have figured it out way before the fifth game. “Number seventy-six,” Rose said with a confident nudge of her elbow. Rey hid behind her thermos of hot chocolate rather than giving her the satisfaction of confirming it. 

Yes, number 76 with the platinum blonde hair and the sailor’s mouth that came out any time she contested the ref’s call was the object of Rey’s undying attention. Rey had hardly missed a match since the first one, arriving far before the start of the game to get front seats by the glass. She didn’t dare sit by the team, though. That could have let 76 realize she was being watched. 

Then again, Rey could have sworn once or twice that she’d made eye contact with her when she looked through the crowd between periods. 

Even if her friends couldn’t break away from work or homework, Rey trundled down to the rink with her thermos, her engineering notes, and her very red ears. She just wanted to watch 76 masterfully work that ice like she’d been born there. Seventy-six could cross the whole damn rink in seconds, regardless of who tried to get in her way. 

It got bad. Her crush, not the team. With playoffs, there was a push for school solidarity as the team blasted through the first rounds and there was far, far too much memorabilia being sold to help offset the team’s travel costs. Jerseys for all the senior players were sold  _ by  _ the senior players outside the dining hall for a week straight. Rey wasted more than a few swipes in and out over the week as she watched to see if 76 would ever work the table. Friday came and nearly went before Rey finally bought herself a Trooper jersey and a lanyard from 99 instead. 

As semi-finals came up, Rey scraped up the cash to rent a car out to the away team game half a day away. Rose had meant to travel with her but bailed at the last minute. “Sorry. It’s family stuff. Nothing I can blow off,” Rose apologized over the phone. She still promised to pay her half of the rental fee so Rey didn’t have to cancel the whole plan, but it was still weird making the trip alone and sitting in an unfamiliar rink with her little red and silver pennant. 

It was a tough match. Each point was a battle, and neither team wanted to give an inch. Despite being on the bench for the first period, 76 was on her feet the whole time shouting. As soon as the coach did let her out, Rey was ready to watch her dominate. 

And dominate she did. Whether it was clearing a path for her teammates or slicing across the rink to set up the forwards for a goal, 76 was everywhere at once. 

It still wasn’t enough. Pushing into overtime, Rey was out of of her seat and screaming like a maniac any time that her team touched the puck. Like watching a horror film, every play they tried was stymied with impossibly perfect luck by the home team. When the Trooper goalie missed the last grab, Rey dropped back to her chair in despair. 

After all that, they’d lost. 

She wasn’t alone in her distress. Followed hotly by members from both teams, 76 was right in the ref’s face demanding  _ something _ be done. But that was it. The game was done and called. 

Rey sat on her chair for a solid ten minutes, her heart crumbling. With them now out of the semis, this was it for her crush. Seventy-six was a senior. She wouldn’t be around for next year’s season. Hell, Rey was only half confident that she knew the young woman’s name. There wasn’t anything to do about it. She got up and made her way through the thinning crowd to the lot where she’d parked her rental. 

Rose texted Rey her consolation about the loss as did Finn, though his seemed to be a bit less heartfelt what with his black heart emoji next to #76. In person Rey avoided the topic of her trip altogether. 

On her way into the dining hall, Rey nodded to the few other people also wearing their red and silver Trooper jerseys in solidarity. Making the decision to wear her jersey to class felt like all she could do to show her last bit of support. 

“Hey, that’s my number,” a voice said from the table behind her. Rey had sat down with her sandwich by another group of what she’d thought were just good sports for the school team. Turning her head, Rey felt her cheeks blow past rosy into full crimson. 

She’d asked for a specific number when she had bought her jersey. Sitting in the stands, only the fans behind her could see the matching 76 Rey had to her crush. But now with her jacket off on campus, Rey had somehow managed to sit right next to the blonde herself. 

Rey fumbled with how to respond, what with 76’s eyes meeting hers and seeing that half-cocked smile a few feet away. “Sorry,” she managed to sputter. 

After a second, Rey threw her hands in the air. “I meant about the game! Not about your number. Uh, oh geeze,” she added hastily. Seventy-six’s friends laughed and her smile only widened further. 

“Don’t be sorry. It looks good on you,” she said. “I didn’t think anyone was going to buy mine.” 

This was still far,  _ far _ too much casual conversation for Rey to process. She twisted her head back to look at her sandwich and prayed that she could drop through the floor rather than confront any of this directly. “Go Troopers,” Rey said halfheartedly. She tried to hide her face behind hunched shoulders and one of her hands. 

There was the horrifying sound of a chair being pulled back followed swiftly by another scooching into place across from Rey. She peered through her fingers at the statuesque senior now draped across her view. “You’ve been to most of the games,” 76 commented. “I know I’ve seen you before.” 

“Well, yeah. You guys play well.”

_ You guys play well you guys play well you guys play well.  _ Of all the things to say. 

“Fuck yeah, we do.” A beat later, 76 said, “You don’t always watch everyone else though.”

Rey’s hand dropped down to the table. It really didn’t do to waste the opportunity to actually look at the woman up close. Maybe she’d spot a horrible crooked set of teeth or splotchy spread of acne. 

Terrifying confidence and beauty met Rey’s gaze instead. “I don’t want to keep you from your friends,” Rey muttered. 

Casting a glance over her shoulder, 76 shrugged. “They’re fine. They’ve been making bets on whether or not I’d find my fan before graduation. Now I think they just need to figure out who the pot goes to.”

Rey let out a groan and fully buried her head into her arms. “I’m sorry,” she said once again. 

“Why’re you so sorry? I’ve never had a fangirl before. It’s cute,” 76 said. 

“ _ I’mnotahundredpercentsureifIknowyournamethoughandit’screepyandI’msorryandyoushouldprobablywanttoleave _ ,” Rey said, her words muffled into her sleeves. 

That only managed to make 76 laugh. “Oh come on now,” she boomed. “I’ve been catching your doe eyes for weeks and you’re too scared to ask what my name is? Lemme ask you yours.” She cleared her throat and Rey watched through her eyelashes as she leaned across the table. 

“Hey sweet thing,” 76 murmured, low and sweet. “I’ve been watching you for a few weeks and didn’t know how to find you. What’s your name?” 

Summoning all her courage and squashing as much of her embarrassment as she could, Rey sat up. “Rey.” After a beat and a wave of 76’s hand, she added, “What’s yours… cutie?” 

She earned herself another stunning crinkle smile from 76. “Phasma. You’d best remember it this time. Though I’ll keep reminding you if you keep looking at me like that.” 

“Can I… I want to take you to get a coffee sometime?” Rey said nervously, her voice raising into a question as her confidence flip-flopped again. This just  _ didn’t _ happen to people. 

Seventy-six -  _ Phasma _ \- hummed deep in her throat. “I’d like that very much. And maybe I can get you another something of mine to try on. After dinner.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Keep an eye out for more pieces over the next week! This is Day 4 of my _"12 Days of Ficmas"_ event. There's a mix of fandoms, but if you're interested feel free to subscribe to the Series.
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